title: Aboriginal birth cohort (ABC): a prospective cohort study of early life determinants of adiposity and associated risk factors among Aboriginal people in Canada.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Aboriginal people living in Canada have a high prevalence of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease (CVD). To better understand the pre and postnatal influences on the development of adiposity and related cardio-metabolic factors in adult Aboriginal people, we will recruit and follow prospectively Aboriginal pregnant mothers and their children - the Aboriginal Birth Cohort (ABC) study.
  
  
  METHODS
  We aim to recruit 300 Aboriginal pregnant mothers and their newborns from the Six Nations Reserve, and follow them prospectively to age 3 years. Key details of environment and health including maternal nutrition, glucose tolerance, physical activity, and weight gain will be collected. At birth, cord blood and placenta samples will be collected, as well as newborn anthropometric measurements. Mothers and offspring will be followed annually with serial measurements of diet and physical activity, growth trajectory, and adiposity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is an urgent need to understand maternal and child factors that underlie the early development of adiposity and type 2 diabetes in Aboriginal people. The information generated from this cohort will assist the Six Nations community in developing interventions to prevent early adiposity in Aboriginal children.
authors.affiliation: McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada.
authors.forename: Gita
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wahi
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Ruby
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Anglin
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McDonald
authors.forename: Katherine M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Morrison
authors.forename: Koon K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Teo
authors.forename: Sonia S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Anand
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity / Q000208:ethnology*; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000208:ethnology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors